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144Community Impact: Jackson County 4-H Roboticshttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-jackson-count-4-h-robotics/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-jackson-count-4-h-robotics/For the past two years, the Jackson County 4-H Robotics team successfully competed at district and state matches and advanced to the world championship, according to Harold Jarrett, volunteer leader and mentor, who calls the team “one of the best in the state.” It’s one of five robotics teams in Georgia under the 4-H program.

Excelling in competition is something to be proud of, but Jarrett is even more passionate about how participation on the robotics team prepares high school students through an applied STEM program to pursue engineering degrees.

“We have a serious track record of kids who flow through this program into engineering and technology schools and careers,” said Jarrett, noting that 10 of his team’s alumni are currently attending the Georgia Institute of Technology. “We are proud of these results.”

The Jackson EMC Foundation has granted the robotics team funds to purchase materials for building robots in five of the past eight years, including $6,000 this year, according to Jarrett, who says the foundation’s support has “been a critical part” of the team’s success.

“This is the only sport where every kid can turn pro,” Jarrett said. “Being in the marching band or on the tennis team is fun, but there’s little chance those students will be professional musicians or athletes. When it comes to investment of high school time to build a career path, there’s nothing more valuable than robotics to provide the pathway to a technical profession.”

The goals of the robotics team are to expose students to the practical application of engineering principles, build interest in STEM career paths, and provide leadership opportunities. The Jackson County team participates in FIRST Robotics Competitions, which are held throughout the world. The competition season begins at the first of January with a global internet broadcast describing the year’s game, which is a challenge to build a sophisticated robot capable of playing the game.

Teams have six weeks to build their robots with district competitions beginning in March and world competition held later in the spring. For the past two years, the Jackson County 4-H Robotics team volunteered as host team for the state finals at the University of Georgia, where more than 80 teams competed.

“Each year, the game changes with new and complicated requirements,” said Jarrett, noting that in its eight years, the team has built remote-controlled robots to play basketball, ultimate Frisbee, and other games. “The games are complex with multiple layers, and to build a machine that can do all of the game tasks is difficult.”

Volunteer mentors teach students manufacturing processes like welding, fabrication, CAD design, laser and waterjet cutting, wiring, and coding. The team operates like a company with adult volunteers serving as the board of directors who "hire" the company president and department heads from the team of 20-25 students. Jarrett says more volunteer mentors are needed, especially those with engineering or software design backgrounds.

Jarrett says the robotics team provides a quality peer group for students.

“When kids come together to work on robotics, everyone in the room is aiming high,” says Jarrett. “That supportive cultural context is one of the reasons this program works so well.”

]]>latest,community,News,educationWed, 15 May 2019 09:58:31 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_jemco-robotics2-663588.jpg?10000Bright Ideas: Innovation in the Classroomhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/bright-ideas-innovation-in-the-classroom/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/bright-ideas-innovation-in-the-classroom/Stimulating a student’s interest in learning a new idea or concept can be a challenge. For educators, there’s the additional challenge of funding learning experiences in the classroom that are outside the textbook.

That’s why Jackson EMC funded $51,461 in Bright Ideas grants this academic year to give middle school teachers the tools and technology they need to bring their innovative ideas to life. Since 2015, Jackson EMC has funded more than $216,300 in Bright Ideas grants to fund innovative and creative classroom projects developed by state-certified educators in public middle schools throughout our service area.

These are some of the stories from the latest grant recipients.

3D Science

Russell Middle School | Barrow County

Nicole Baker | $1,851

Students in Nicole Baker’s physical science class at Russell Middle School in Barrow County are learning key physics concepts thanks to a Bright Ideas grant, which funded small “smartcars,” tracks and wireless sensors that enable students to collect data, make predictions and use critical thinking skills.

“The students can see real-time data and experiment visually while running the cars,” Baker said. “Before we received this grant, students just saw the chart in a textbook. Now, students can see the data while the cars are running. We’re the only school in the county with this new technology.”

Baker said the cars and tracks are used for numerous other lab units across multiple classrooms, benefitting more than 1,000 students this year alone. She has used the components to teach conservation of energy, acceleration, velocity, speed, Kinematics and Newton’s Law.

Our Model City

Sweetwater Middle School | Gwinnett County

Shane Thompson and James Mitchell | $1,845

Shane Thompson, a STEAM teacher at Sweetwater Middle School in Gwinnett County, developed an interdisciplinary program for his students that incorporated five subject areas: social studies, technology, engineering, art and math.

“The Internet of Things is the next frontier in computing science,” said Thompson. “Thanks to our Bright Ideas grant, our students can develop their own version of a connected world by building a model city.”

First, students worked in groups to select a significant building in Africa. They created a presentation demonstrating the historical, economic, governmental, cultural or religious significance of their building. The math portion of the project involved determining the dimensions for each building and creating a scale ratio factor.

Using the scale factor, students created a model, then painted them to match the real building. “All their buildings must fit in the classroom-sized model city, so the students worked together using engineering principles to design the layout,” said James Mitchell, a STEAM teacher. “They’re learning how to use micro-controllers and sensors to build a roadway system around their city.”

Next, the students will create a road network around their buildings that will support self-driving cars, which they will build using a microprocessor, LED lights, ultrasonic and temperature sensors and other electrical devices. They can also use the LEGO EV3 robots from Mitchell’s 2017 Bright Ideas grant.

“These grants help us provide hands-on learning opportunities for real-world situations,” said Thompson. “Our students are learning how to create a city of the future.”

Innovation in Soil and Water Conservation

Hull Middle School | Gwinnett County

David Schoenrock and Celia Ayenesazan | $845

Students at Hull Middle School in Gwinnett County used their Bright Ideas grant to plan, plant, grow and harvest varieties of lettuce through an aeroponic tower garden — which uses at least 90 percent less water than soil farming. Water circulates continuously in the aeroponic garden, and the lights for encouraging plant growth allow the garden to be used as a teaching tool year-round.

“The mobility of the aeroponic garden gave us opportunities to use it in more classrooms, the STEAM lab and the Green Team — an after-school club that maintains the outdoor garden and recycling program,” said science teacher Celia Ayenesazan. “We can use it as a teaching tool in all seasons, indoors and outdoors.”

“The garden supports visual and tactile learning,” said STEAM teacher Virita Bridges, who also uses the garden in her classroom. Students see a live representation of their biology book. “It’s a textbook in action,” she said.

Before transplanting assorted varieties of lettuce from the aeroponic garden to the school's outdoor garden, students learn the importance of hardening-off the plants; gradually acclimating the plants to the cooler outdoor temperatures. The cycle repeats as students germinate seeds which they will transfer into the growing cells of the tower garden. During the entire process, the students learn about the health benefits of greens they grew themselves.

“This is the Bright Ideas grant that keeps on giving because each year more than 2,000 students will benefit from the reuse,” said science teacher David Schoenrock.

Applications for the 2019-2020 Bright Ideas grants will be available in July. Stay tuned to jacksonemc.com/brightideas for additional details.

]]>latest,News,community,educationMon, 15 Apr 2019 09:11:50 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_class-12-677085.jpg?10000Community Impact: H.O.P.E., Inc. http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-hope-inc/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-hope-inc/Kenita Pierce-Lewis founded H.O.P.E., Inc. so single parents could earn their college education much easier than she did.

Juggling parental responsibilities, work and college courses, it took her 10 years to get her bachelor’s degree in business administration.

H.O.P.E. — which stands for Helping Other People be Empowered — helps low-income single parents obtain college degrees by providing rental and childcare assistance, connections to community resources, financial advising, counseling resources and success coaching.

“Statistics show the number one reason students don’t finish their college education is financial stress,” Pierce-Lewis said. “We focus on single parents who work and don’t qualify for government assistance but need help to provide for their children and plan for a better future.”

H.O.P.E. recently received a $5,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation to assist with childcare and housing so parents can continue their college education.

The foundation grant targets childcare and housing costs for H.O.P.E. clients, who receive up to $100 a week in childcare assistance and up to $400 a month in rent when lack of either puts acquiring a college degree at risk. Pierce-Lewis said her own college degree was delayed because she couldn’t afford childcare.

“This enables students to focus on their academics without the anxieties of shelter loss and childcare issues,” she said. “With this investment, parents not only increase their earning potential, but they also increase the likelihood that their children will pursue higher education.”

Based in Duluth, H.O.P.E. has served 53 families since 2011. Of the 27 participants who have graduated from college, most have used their degree to increase their income by an average of $20,000, according to Pierce-Lewis.

“We have a single dad, our first male participant, who recently graduated from college. He has doubled his salary, and now he donates to the program,” she said.

While many charitable organizations provide one-time assistance with rent or childcare, what sets H.O.P.E. apart is that it continues to help with rent and childcare until clients have their college diploma in hand. Pierce-Lewis credits the Jackson EMC Foundation for helping H.O.P.E. get off the ground and is thankful for its continued support.

“The Jackson EMC Foundation grants have been a blessing,” she said. “It was one of the first foundations that believed in us and our vision. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for believing in H.O.P.E.”

]]>latest,community,NewsMon, 15 Apr 2019 09:11:39 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_08152018-foundationar-h.o.p.e.inc.-6913-820917.jpg?10000Community Impact: Habitat for Humanity of Madison Countyhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-habitat-for-humanity-of-madison-county/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-habitat-for-humanity-of-madison-county/For 20 years, Habitat for Humanity of Madison County has been an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, the worldwide nonprofit that works with families to build affordable homes.

Habitat for Humanity International started in 1976 in Americus, Ga., and now builds houses in more than 70 countries and almost 1,400 communities across the U.S. Habitat partners with prospective homeowners to build or renovate houses. New homeowners work alongside volunteers to build their home, for which they pay an affordable, interest-free mortgage.

Based in Comer, Habitat of Madison County was organized in 1998, and has built eight houses and remodeled one. Using the Habitat model for homeownership helps get families unable to qualify for conventional loans into homes and provides them with a community as well, according to Habitat of Madison County President John King.

“We work with the families to build their houses, and then visit them and keep in touch,” King said. “We live in the same community and care about one another.”

Ron Little, Don Mosley and Larry Blount formed the affiliate in 1998 in response to the need in Madison County for affordable housing. Two years later, they completed construction on the first Habitat house on land in Comer donated by Ron and his wife, Marcia. Eighteen years later, the Littles are still neighbors to the organization’s first homeowner. The affiliate’s last home was built in 2017 and the next is set for construction this year, according to King, who says Habitat owns 15 lots in Comer on which to build future homes.

“There’s real need for safe, affordable housing here,” he says, noting that Habitat of Madison County builds one house every two or three years. “We would like to build more. We have the lots and we have some funds. Our challenge is to increase the number of volunteers on our board and to increase Habitat’s visibility in the county so we can eventually build one house each year.”

While many Habitat affiliates have at least one paid staff member, the Madison County affiliate is an all-volunteer organization with a need for more leadership, according to its president.

The Jackson EMC Foundation has provided several grants to Habitat of Madison County to purchase building materials such as drywall, plumbing fixtures, and vinyl siding. The last grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation provided $10,000 for the organization to purchase building materials for its next house.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Madison County, visit MCGHFH.org.

]]>latest,News,community,foundationMon, 18 Mar 2019 13:59:49 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_08152018-foundationar-habitatforhumanitymadisoncounty-7971-707662.jpg?10000Community Impact: Gwinnett County Public Libraryhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-gwinnett-county-public-library/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-gwinnett-county-public-library/As life gets busy, earning a high school diploma for those who didn’t graduate as a younger student can be challenging. There’s work, family and a greater demand for time management.

But, without a high school diploma or GED, an employee in Georgia typically earns $19,172 a year, according to the U.S. Census. Career advancement opportunities are also less likely when someone doesn’t complete their high school education.

“If you don’t have a high school education you will always have barriers, it becomes an everyday challenge,” said Casey Wallace, training manager for the Gwinnett County Public Library, which has 15 library branches in Gwinnett County.

With a commitment to supporting education and community needs, the Gwinnett County Public Library offers its Career Online High School – an accredited online program that allows adult students to earn their high school diploma and prepares them for specific career fields. The library recently received a $20,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation to provide financial assistance for the Career Online High School.

Before a prospective student is accepted in the free online program, they complete a screening and interview process. Once in the program, they have access to academic coaches to monitor their progress during their self-paced coursework. The library also loans laptops and equipment to access the internet for students, if needed.

“These are people who really want to make a change in their lives,” Wallace said.

Most students complete the online program in about 12 months, but it also depends on how many credits students had from a previous high school, Wallace said. Oftentimes, students are working or raising children, so the Career Online High School allows them to open a laptop any time and begin studying or completing coursework. The library also offers tutoring for students in the program.

For those who have completed the online program, having a high school diploma has allowed them to accelerate their careers. Before starting the program, one graduate was unable to get a promotion due to not having her high school diploma. With the program she was not only able to graduate, but received a promotion upon graduation, Wallace said.

“Their success is our success,” Wallace added.

To honor their success, the Gwinnett County Public Library holds a graduation ceremony for students who complete the program. It’s an opportunity for the students’ families to see them in caps and gowns, and to celebrate their academic accomplishments, Wallace said. For the graduates, it’s a second chance to finish high school.

"We’re so very grateful to the members of Jackson EMC for donating to this program,” said Shelly Schwerzler, development manager, Gwinnett County Public Library. “This program relies on charitable contributions like this one to continue.”

]]>latest,community,NewsWed, 13 Feb 2019 12:33:23 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_jemco-onlinegraduates1-241930.jpg?10000Community Impact: Barrow Ministry Villagehttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-barrow-ministry-village/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-barrow-ministry-village/When Barrow Ministry Village started in 2012, its founding leaders wanted to focus on three key areas that lacked resources in the community: Food distribution, foster family resources and affordable counseling services. Over time, the Barrow Ministry Village has narrowed its focus to offering professional counseling, foster family support and support for grandparents raising their grandchildren.

Barrow County’s poverty rate is 20 percent – making it difficult for many people in the community to get professional counseling, even with medical insurance. Oftentimes, co-pays for counseling make it cost prohibitive, said Becky Lee, executive director of the Barrow Ministry Village.

“If you’re looking at paying your electric bill or getting counseling, there just wasn’t a good option,” Lee said.

Providing professional counseling services to those who otherwise couldn’t afford it is the greatest demand for Barrow Village Ministry, Lee said. The nonprofit organization uses funding it receives from the Victims of Crime Act Assistance (VOCA) grant to provide counseling services for victims of crimes that are recovering from trauma, child abuse, domestic violence and other issues. However, Barrow Ministry Village needed additional resources to support people in the community facing family or mental health issues that could be addressed through counseling.

The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded the Barrow Ministry Village a $12,000 grant to serve 50 individuals with counseling sessions.

Barrow Ministry Village uses licensed therapists who are either employed or contracted with the Winder-based organization for counseling sessions. Clients are referred to the organization by churches, schools and other agencies. For clients, their treatment plan includes goals that address their individual needs, whether they be emotional, psychological or physical.

“We help them build coping skills,” Lee said. “We help give them things they can do daily to reach their goals.”

For Lee, one of the most rewarding aspects at Barrow Ministry Village is watching people turn the corner in the healing process and using their newfound coping skills.

“Seeing people really struggling and then seeing them change after a few sessions is inspirational,” she said.

]]>latest,communityMon, 14 Jan 2019 09:02:00 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_d-756351.jpg?10000Community Impact: Boys & Girls Club of Lanierhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-boys--girls-club-of-lanier/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-boys--girls-club-of-lanier/When students enter one of the 15 locations hosting the Boys & Girls Club of Lanier, they’re not just learning the academic and character development skills they need to succeed – they’re also learning how to make healthier lifestyle choices.

Through the club’s Triple Play program, youth members are learning how to eat smart, stay fit and form positive relationships. Members receive coaching in sports leagues and fun activities – while also staying physically active and learning to make good choices about nutrition.

“Triple Play is one of our core programs,” said Joyce Wilson, chief development offi cer for the Boys & Girls Club of Lanier (formerly called the Boys & Girls Club of Hall County). “All Boys & Girls Clubs try to incorporate Triple Play in their daily programming.”

Thanks to a $14,800 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation, the Gainesville-based club is providing staff resources to support Triple Play across its locations. This school year, the program is expected to serve more than 1,000 students a day, according to Wilson.

“A lot of the kids we serve don’t have exposure to a variety of healthy activities,” Wilson said. A 2012 study in Hall County estimated that almost 40 percent of youth in the county are obese. Almost all of the youth served by the Boys & Girls Club of Lanier qualify for free or reduced price meals at their schools. The primary goal of the Triple Play program is to reduce childhood obesity.

During Triple Play, club members learn how to make their own healthy meals. Staff members and other professionals educate club members about nutrition, including how to read food labels and pick healthier foods. “One girl went home and started talking about making healthier food choices with her parents,” Wilson said. “The girl told us her parents are now also making healthier choices.”

Triple Play is also exposing club members to physical activities they may not otherwise experience, Wilson said. Club members have played lacrosse, taken dance lessons and even learned about boxing. Students participate in at least 45 minutes of physical activity each day at the club.

“We are extremely grateful for the support our kids receive from the Jackson EMC Foundation,” Wilson said.

"Jackson EMC is proud to partner with the Jackson County government in the development of an agricultural facility,” said Joe Hicks, Jackson EMC Jefferson district manager. “The new center will play a vital role in our agricultural community, as well as serving our entire region by functioning as an event center and hub for community and agricultural engagement."

Agricultural Facility committee chair Marty Clark said, “The Jackson County Multiuse Agricultural Facility will be a teaching and learning tool that will continue to promote agriculture in Jackson County, as agriculture remains one of the county’s main gems.”

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 228,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

“This grant will allow us to provide student transportation outside the mobile home park neighborhood, since many families do not have vehicles,” said Meredith Pierce, community director of Path Project. “We will be better able to offer elementary tutoring and homework help.”

The Path Project has delivered after-school programming in conjunction with Gainesville First United Methodist Church for 10 years in an effort to increase the high school graduation rate of students living in mobile home parks. The program works with community leaders, churches and local schools to build positive relationships and empower kids academically.

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 228,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

“We are very grateful to Jackson EMC for providing this funding as we begin a new organization,” said Pat McDonough, of Anderson Tate & Carr, who is leading the initiative. “Our primary focus is individuals who have been released from the Gwinnett jail with nowhere to call home.”

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 228,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

“Many teachers incorporated project-based learning into the classroom,” said Karen Ewing, community relations representative for Jackson EMC. “Our judges were very impressed with the range of projects educators created to engage their students.”

The Bright Ideas grant program, in its fourth year at Jackson EMC, funds innovative classroom projects developed by state-certified public middle school educators within the counties served by Jackson EMC. Educators for grades six through eight can apply for up to $2,000 in grant funds for classroom projects that are not funded through general education dollars. Science teachers will use their Bright Ideas grant funds from Jackson EMC for students to design bridge trusses, weather balloons and 3D atom models. Social studies teachers will create lessons to incorporate the broader community into the classroom to explore Georgia’s role in the Civil Rights Movement and to learn genealogical research methods. Language arts educators will use their grant funds to design projects to enhance the reading experience and to teach financial literacy.

Funded projects must involve the students directly, provide a creative learning experience with ongoing benefits through innovative teaching methods, create opportunities for teamwork and support the continuous improvement of education in Georgia. A panel of independent judges from higher education institutions and nonprofit foundations in north Georgia review the applications.

]]>latest,community,newsTue, 13 Nov 2018 14:25:47 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_11-09-18-brightideas-137-539257.jpg?10000Request School Visits from Jackson EMChttp://news.jacksonemc.com/request-school-visits-from-jackson-emc/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/request-school-visits-from-jackson-emc/Educators looking to bring learning to life can request Jackson EMC employees to visit their schools and classrooms for demonstrations or speaking opportunities.

Jackson EMC employees can present an electrical safety demonstration, showcase the electrical safety trailer or Powertown™, or participate in a career fair or job fair. The content can be customized for elementary, middle or high schools, and can support Georgia curriculum standards.

]]>latest,news,community,educationTue, 13 Nov 2018 14:24:39 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_mta-powertownsafetydemo-612983.jpg?10000Community Impact: Judy House Ministryhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-judy-house-ministry/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-judy-house-ministry/Following the passing of his wife, Judy, in 2013, Dan Capobianco came up with an idea to once again fill his Lawrenceville house with laughter – this time from people in need.

Teaming up with two other men, Capobianco launched Judy House Ministry, a faith-based program named for his wife, where once-homeless men are provided housing, Biblical counseling, and a community of peers who encourage each other as they transition to independent living.

As director, Capobianco operates the ministry with Paul Epperson, program manager, and Russell Gray, president of Greater Gwinnett Reentry Alliance, which helps people released from prison re-enter society. A volunteer at the Gwinnett County Detention Center, Gray also volunteers with the Gwinnett Reentry Intervention Program (GRIP), which connects homeless inmates with local assistance before they are released from jail.

With Gray seeing the need firsthand at the detention center, Judy House’s first clients were identified quickly and, by the summer of 2013, there were nine residents in the house. Since then, Judy House has served 175 men, according to Epperson. At any given time, four-to-six clients reside at the large house where meals and community are provided.

“Most of our clients get here just after being released from jail,” Epperson said. He identifies the reasons that lead to homelessness as “poor decisions, drugs, and alcohol,” short and simple. The way out is not always as simply stated.

“People can’t go it alone,” Epperson said. “Judy House believes that effective transition requires relationships, and that’s why our program meets people where they are with resourceful information and residential transition to help navigate their crisis.”

The ministry offers a family-setting and support to help clients successfully re-integrate back into the community. Some seek shortterm emergency housing while those who need long-term housing may stay a year until they get a reliable job that enables them to maintain a home.

The Jackson EMC Foundation awarded Judy House a $10,000 grant last year to provide food, household supplies and rent while residents seek jobs and reconnect with their families and community.

]]>latest,communityTue, 13 Nov 2018 14:24:21 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_08152018-foundationar-judyhouseministry-7844-899698.jpg?10000Athens Christian School Senior Wins Local FFA Wiring Contest; Advances to Statehttp://news.jacksonemc.com/athens-christian-school-senior-wins-local-ffa-wiring-contest-advances-to-state/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/athens-christian-school-senior-wins-local-ffa-wiring-contest-advances-to-state/(Jefferson, GA, November 9, 2018) — Athens Christian School senior Nicholas Hopper won the Region 2 EMC/FFA Agricultural Education Career Development Event, a wiring competition. This event requires students to complete a timed practical wiring exercise and a problem-solving exam, followed by an oral presentation describing the necessary steps to complete an electrical wiring task.

“Winning this competition demonstrates that hard work and long hours of practice pay off,” said Hopper, who lives in Commerce and plans to attend Athens Technical College to pursue a career in electrical construction.

After finishing in eighth place in 2017, Hopper and his FFA advisor, Jerry Taylor, developed a plan to improve his scores. “I watched Nich’s dedication and work ethic, and knew he could be successful,” said Taylor. They practiced wiring problems during and after school and on weekends. As a result of his numerous practice hours, Hopper was the top scorer in the wiring skills problem, with a near perfect score of 59.85 out of 60. Hopper’s poise and excellent explanatory skills earned him the top finisher in the speech demonstration portion of the contest, as well, with a score of 9.3 out of ten.

Oglethorpe County High School senior Cade Legg placed second overall in the competition. Hopper and Legg advance to the state competition, which will be held on January 12, 2019, at the FFA camp in Covington.

Offered through local FFA chapters, and hosted annually by Jackson EMC, the Region 2 wiring competition reinforces electrical wiring as taught in the vocational agriculture education program, and expands students’ grasp of electric energy and the role of EMCs in Georgia’s energy future.

The hands-on, practical, timed wiring exercise tests student’s knowledge of the National Electric Code, while the oral presentation offers students the opportunity to explain how to solve an electrical problem. Lastly, the students must complete a multiple-choice exam.

Any active FFA member enrolled in a high school agriculture education class is eligible to participate in the wiring competition. The top two individuals in each region’s wiring contest advance to the state competition, held each year in January.

Georgia FFA is the 3rd largest state association with more than 42,000 members. Currently, Georgia has 342 chapters and more than 475 agricultural education teachers. An integral part of the agricultural education program in public schools, FFA’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 229,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,community,education,newsFri, 09 Nov 2018 16:43:08 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_20181106-wiringcontest-com-0061-123109.jpg?10000Jackson EMC Donates $10K in Disaster Relief for South Georgiahttp://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-10k-in-disaster-relief-for-south-georgia/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-10k-in-disaster-relief-for-south-georgia/(JEFFERSON, GA. Nov.5, 2018) Jackson EMC donated $10,000 to the Salvation Army to assist families in South Georgia working to rebuild following the widespread devastation after Hurricane Michael.

More than 80 Jackson EMC employees worked to restore power in south Georgia and Florida following Hurricane Michael for members of Grady EMC and Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative during major outages cooperatives work together to restore power for their members.

“Our employees were so moved by the graciousness and appreciation they received from our neighbors to the south, we wanted to do more than turn the lights on,” said Chip Jakins, president and CEO. “We hope this funding helps bring added comfort to those in need across South Georgia.”

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Georgia. The cooperative serves more than 229,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,communityTue, 06 Nov 2018 08:19:04 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_20181019-cairo-restoration-crews-c0612-774338.jpg?10000Telling Our Stories in Six Words: Janet Woodhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/telling-our-stories-in-six-words-janet-wood/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/telling-our-stories-in-six-words-janet-wood/Working for Jackson EMC is more than just a job for most employees, according to 17-year veteran Janet Wood, communications coordinator for the Jefferson office. “It’s a major part of our lives and working here enables me to make a difference in my hometown.”

Janet notes, “Electricity affects the lives of everyone. So, when we have a major storm causing outages, I’m talking to our members and my neighbors.” Her most memorable storm coverage came during Hurricane Irma in September 2017 when Janet took more than 390 member calls, a record for storm duty. “I enjoy reassuring our members and routing their situation to our line crews to get their electricity back on.”

However, the most important difference Janet feels she can make in her hometown of Jefferson is through her volunteer work with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

As a teenager, Janet witnessed her mom’s battle with breast cancer. “I remember going door-to-door in my neighborhood and beyond with my mom to collect money before Relay was an official event,” said Janet.

“I love volunteering because of the personal rewards from helping others,” said Janet, who is a cancer survivor herself and serves as volunteer team captain for the company Relay team.

Jackson EMC offices and employees are strong advocates and participants in annual Relay events. “I’m so encouraged by my co-workers who create handmade raffle items like wooden benches, swings, and cornhole boards,” Janet said. Additionally, employees host an annual chili cook-off and basket raffle to raise funds for the company Relay team. “I work with the best people who are willing to help us.”

“Volunteering with the American Cancer Society in Jackson County has enabled me to see the direct impact on people’s lives—survivors and their families. Patients are so grateful, and families are very supportive. I enjoy working directly with the recipients. There is room for more compassion in all of us, especially when you see the window into the lives of cancer patients,” Janet said.

Since 2006, the Jackson EMC Relay for Life team has raised more than $65,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Relay for Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, consisting of community events that honor cancer survivors, remember lost loved ones and raise funds to make a global impact on cancer. Companies and individuals form teams each year to participate, and each team creates its own fundraising projects to reach the minimum $1,000 annual donation.

]]>latest,communityWed, 31 Oct 2018 14:37:36 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_2018-janetwood-2-558555.jpg?10000Jackson EMC Linemen Named Among the Best at International Eventhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-linemen-named-among-the-best-at-international-event/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-linemen-named-among-the-best-at-international-event/(JEFFERSON, GA. Oct. 14, 2018) – A journeyman linemen team from Jackson EMC was named the top electric cooperative team at the 35th Annual International Lineman’s Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kansas on Saturday. The event features some of the top linemen from around the world to compete in traditional linemen skills and tasks.

Jackson EMC sent two journeyman teams, each with three competitors, to the rodeo. Both teams won some of the highest awards at the international event.

The journeyman team with Justin Cash, Austin Gragg and Clay Phillips, all of Jefferson, won first place overall in the electric cooperative division at the rodeo. The team also placed second as the top overall team at the International Lineman’s Rodeo with a total time of 22:03.89. In addition, they won second place in an event to replace polymer insulators and seventh place in an event to change switches on a pole.

Kevin Grant, Matt Tolar and Scotty Tompkins, all of Oakwood, won third place as the top overall journeyman team with a total time of 22:17.83. They also won second place overall in the electric cooperative division, eighth place in the polymer insulator replacement event and eighth place in the switch changeout event.

“The rodeo is a great opportunity for our linemen to show their skills and knowledge of safety in this profession,” said Tommy Parker, Jackson EMC’s director of operation services. “We’re proud to support these linemen who participate in the rodeo and their fantastic results against so many other top competitors.”

This year’s International Lineman’s Rodeo, held Oct. 11-13, featured more than 300 apprentices and more than 200 journeyman teams competing in a series of events to test their skills. Apprentices compete as individuals, while journeyman teams include three team members.

Both apprentices and journeyman teams compete in hurt man rescue and pole climb events. In addition, there are two mystery events that are revealed to participants the day before competition. Apprentices also complete a written test that’s part of their overall score.

One of Jackson EMC’s apprentices, Dillon Welborn of Jefferson, placed ninth in the hurt man rescue event with a time of 1:02.13. The hurt man rescue simulates the rescue of an injured worker stranded at the top of a utility pole.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 229,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

Since forming 13 years ago, the Jackson EMC Foundation has been helping turn lives around, thanks to Jackson EMC members who round up their bill through Operation Round Up®. The pennies members donate each month average to $6 a year per member.

The Foundation has awarded 1,334 grants totaling $13.5 million since 2005 with the donations supporting a wide variety of nonprofit organizations in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area. Funding has provided everything from book bags for back- to-school to art supplies for cancer patients.

While all Foundation grants go to worthy causes selected by the Jackson EMC Foundation’s volunteer board of directors, almost $4.6 million has gone to charitable organizations that meet the most dire of human needs, according to Foundation Chairperson Beauty Baldwin.

“These agencies work to provide housing for the homeless and healing for the abused,” Baldwin said. “Their leaders often tread where few dare to go as they strive to help turn lives around for alcoholics and drug abusers, former inmates and the mentally ill. With assistance from Jackson EMC members who donate through Operation Round Up, the Jackson EMC Foundation is helping change lives, one at a time.”

Here, we share the stories of individuals whose lives were positively impacted by organizations that received Jackson EMC Foundation grants in the past year.

Rock Goodbye Angel: Finding Comfort

Based in Gainesville, Rock Goodbye Angel provides a network of support and grief education for parents of miscarriage and early infant loss. Parents take part in counseling and weekly support groups with others who have experienced the trauma of losing a baby.

Client Impact: Bethany

Bethany has been a Rock Goodbye Angel client since losing a baby three years ago. Her story is one of heartbreak and, much thanks to RGA, healing.

When Bethany was almost five months pregnant with her second child, doctors told her he had not formed kidneys and would not live outside the womb. Knowing that the only time she would share with her child was the time he lived inside her, Bethany chose to carry him to full term. While he thrived within her, she and her husband planned his burial. Standing with them was Rock Goodbye Angel.

“With their help, I made plans for how I would handle that day,” Bethany said. “I had decisions to make, and Rock Goodbye Angel walked me through the process. Doctors cared for the physical part of it and Rock Goodbye Angel Director Angela Ewers was there for the emotional side.”

Bethany delivered her son, Joshua, at 39 weeks. He was born alive, a miracle in itself, according to doctors who say most infants with his condition are stillborn. Joshua lived for two hours, his brief life filled with visits from family and friends, including Angela.

Her peers at Rock Goodbye Angel are an extension of her family, according to Bethany.

“It’s a club no one wants to be in, but we are members,” she said. “These are my people.”

Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse: Finding Community

At Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, adults with acquired brain injury shift from depending on others to becoming self-sufficient community members. This is achieved through skills-based rehabilitation as club members work in Side by Side’s kitchen, maintenance and business units.

Client Impact: Kendall

Before his brain injury, Kendall had a full life, a career and he knew the feeling of independence.

“Our job was to help him find his new normal,” said Side by Side Development Director Alexis Torres.

A teacher at Atlanta Technical College, Kendall was walking in the city in 2011 when he was struck by a taxi cab. He was in a coma for three months and was hospitalized for another year before joining Side by Side in 2012.

“I’ve learned how to live life in a different way,” Kendall said.

Before teaching at Atlanta Tech, Kendall worked as an auto mechanic, and then as a mechanics teacher for Gwinnett Technical College and Barrow County Schools. “I still help with mechanics work,” he said. “Others do the physical work while I tell them what needs to be done.”

Side by Side Director Cindi Johnson calls Kendall a role model for club members.

“When I met Kendall, he was angry and depressed, and now he’s a cheerleader for other members,” she said. “He sees their potential and is very encouraging to them.”

Side by Side has been by his side.

“It’s helped me learn to live and be thankful for the problems I have because many people here have problems worse than mine,” says Kendall.

Angel House: Finding Sisterhood and Sobriety

A substance abuse/recovery residence for women, Angel House offers clients from throughout Jackson EMC’s service area a second chance at life as they work a 12-step program toward sobriety with women in similar situations.

Client Impact: Jennifer

On and off drugs for many years, Jennifer served a one-year sentence at a Georgia detention center.

“I’m so thankful for that year in jail,” she said. “I needed every day of it. If not for that, I would be in the same circle—if I was still alive.”

Upon her release from jail, Jennifer moved to Angel House to tackle her addiction.

“I spent a lot of years doing the same thing—using drugs, being co- dependent in different relationships,” she recalls. “I finally decided I have to do something different or this will be my life for the rest of my life.”

After living at Angel House for 14 months, she now resides in a transition apartment and works full-time at a distribution warehouse. She credits Angel House with helping her turn her life around.

“It’s taught me to stand on my own and with that comes responsibility and being dependable,” Jennifer said. “And it’s provided me a shared sisterhood with people I can relate to and count on. I’m a different person than when I got here.”

]]>latest,news,community,foundationWed, 10 Oct 2018 10:57:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_foundation-2.jpg?10000Community Impact: Wishes 4 Me Organizationhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-wishes-4-me-organization/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-wishes-4-me-organization/As a single mom of two children suffering with a devastating form of muscular dystrophy, Lynn Robinette had a tough question on her mind: “If something happened to me, what would happen to my kids?”

Robinette soon discovered that while there are a number of resources available to care for children with disabilities, when those children become adults, the options are limited. For Robinette, it wasn’t just about managing her children’s medical symptoms, but also ensuring they lived a happy life.

After doing extensive research, she started Wishes 4 Me — a nonprofit organization that assists adults who are disabled to live an active and involved lifestyle.

The signature program of Wishes 4 Me is a housing community where adults with disabilities are supervised in daily individualized events, employment opportunities and inclusion in the community. The organization has six houses on a neighborhood street in Lawrenceville with 24 residents in its “village” community.

“We’re trying to give these individuals as much as possible with their very low incomes,” Robinette said. “Most of the residents have incomes of less than $800 a month.”

Besides providing housing, Wishes 4 Me also connects residents with medical caregivers and arranges regular outings, such as visits to stores, churches and other social interactions. Within its village of dedicated homes, Wishes 4 Me residents also cook together, play games, work in gardens and host social events.

“We have a lot of developmentally disabled individuals, along with those with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and strokes,” Robinette said.

For one resident named Chris, a brain injury in adulthood left him unable to speak and with memory loss. Chris had been living in a nursing home until his family learned about Wishes 4 Me. After living in one of the Wishes 4 Me homes for a few months, Chris began talking, socializing and enjoying attending baseball games and karaoke events. Sadly, Chris recently passed away, but his transformation was inspiring, Robinette said.

The homes for Wishes 4 Me are unique in Georgia because they help residents live more independent lives, she said. Residents must engage in activities that may include a job, shopping outings and church activities.

The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded a $15,000 grant to Wishes 4 Me to fund a septic tank replacement at one of its homes. The organization previously received a $15,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation to enclose a carport and replace a driveway. Thanks to the latest grant, Wishes 4 Me can move forward with expanding the house that will allow six additional residents to move to the community, Robinette said.

]]>latest,news,communityTue, 21 Aug 2018 16:42:58 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_wishes4me.jpg?10000Jackson EMC playing a role in Devon Gales family residencehttp://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-playing-a-role-in-devon-gales-family-residence/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-playing-a-role-in-devon-gales-family-residence/Jackson EMC is one of several organizations participating in an effort to build a residence for Devon Gales, a former Southern University football player who was paralyzed during a game against the University of Georgia nearly three years ago.

Since Gales’ injury, he has been embraced by fans and alumni of the University of Georgia on his road to recovery, including extensive rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center, Atlanta. His new home in Jackson County will be wheelchair accessible.

“Today, there’s sunshine,” said UGA director of player wellness Bryant Gantt, who is a close friend of the Gales family. “That’s the light at the end of the tunnel that this family has waited for.”

A groundbreaking ceremony, held at the future homesite of the Gales family, was recently held in Jefferson. On hand were Devon and his parents, Donny and Tish, and siblings Teah and Dalen, along with a host of neighbors and many of the subcontractors who are volunteering services for the build.

Jackson EMC’s Right Choice new homes program will certify that Gales’ new residence is built for energy efficiency and comfort.

“We’re honored to be part of the community effort to give the Gales family a home,” said Amy Bryan, Jackson EMC’s director of residential marketing. “We’re among many individuals and companies working together in their roles to help this family.”

Whit Marshall, CEO of Paran Homes, donated a lot in Traditions of Braselton to the Gates family after hearing about recent revival efforts to raise funds for a home for Devon. Mike Elrod, president of Currahee Home Builders, who volunteered to manage the construction, has also been a stalwart of these efforts. He told a crowd at a groundbreaking ceremony that construction on the Gales home could begin in as little as 30 days.

For more information about this project, including participating companies who have volunteered their services or products, visit BuildforDevon.com. For more information about Jackson EMC’s Right Choice new homes program, visit jacksonemc.com/rightchoice.

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]]>latest,community,newsTue, 07 Aug 2018 13:46:12 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_devongales.jpg?10000Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett Receives Granthttp://news.jacksonemc.com/good-samaritan-health-center-of-gwinnett-receives-grant/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/good-samaritan-health-center-of-gwinnett-receives-grant/(JEFFERSON, Ga. July 18, 2018)—The Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett was awarded a $5,000 grant through a nomination by Jackson EMC to the CoBank Sharing Success Program. The grant will assist the Norcross-based nonprofit with purchasing dental instruments for its Smiles Under Construction program, which provides affordable, high-quality dental solutions for patients who are economically challenged.

“We are so grateful to Jackson EMC and CoBank for this grant,” said Greg Lang, the Center’s executive director. “With more surgical instruments on hand, we can keep duplicate surgical tools in rotation while used instruments cycle through sterilization and packaging for reuse. By eliminating the sterilization wait time of 45 minutes per cycle to complete, we can use the additional instruments to serve more patients each day.”

The Center operates the only full-time charity dental practice serving uninsured patients in the second largest county in Georgia, which has a population of more than 920,000.

In 2017, Jackson EMC provided the Good Samaritan Clinic with a $20,000 grant. The Jackson EMC grant made Good Samaritan eligible for a nomination to the CoBank Sharing Success program. The program matches contributions — up to $5,000 —made by its cooperative members, which includes Jackson EMC.

CoBank is a national cooperative bank serving industries and utilities in rural areas of all 50 states. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers.

The Good Samaritan Health Center is a nonprofit organization that provides quality, affordable primary health care, dental services and counseling in Norcross, Ga.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 227,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visitjacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,communityThu, 19 Jul 2018 14:38:54 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_goodsamaritan2018.jpg?10000Community Impact: Society of St. Vincent de Paulhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-society-of-st-vincent-de-paul/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-society-of-st-vincent-de-paul/The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a long history of helping people in need. Founded in Paris in 1833, the society now spans more than 130 countries and all 50 states in the United States.

In North and Central Georgia, there are 71 chapters, called conferences, linked by the common mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to serve the needy. Locally, the conferences in Winder, Flowery Branch, Jefferson and Gainesville have each recently received grants from the Jackson EMC Foundation to provide assistance for those in need, primarily for housing assistance.

When a family is facing eviction from their home, they may reach out to a local conference for assistance.

“Eviction is a proven way to be long-term poor,” said Mike Gallagher of the Flowery Branch conference.

The hallmark of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is in-home visits between volunteers and those seeking assistance. The volunteers, called “Vincentians,” determine how the nonprofit organization can best serve them or point them to available resources, including those provided by other organizations. Many local conferences also provide a food pantry, thrift store and help line.

Ed Flaherty has been volunteering with the Winder conference for 12 years. The in-home visits, he says, helps volunteers understand the needs of those seeking assistance.

“It’s more beneficial when it’s face-to-face with someone and their situation,” he said.

Oftentimes, job loss or medical bills are the top reasons why people are unable to afford their rent and mortgages, according to Gallagher. Along with a home visit, St. Vincent volunteers also perform administrative work to verify with landlords or banks the status of an applicant’s housing assistance needs. Volunteers may also be able to work with landlords on behalf of applicants for payment options.

Despite the improved economy, Gallagher said volunteers are still helping with a high number of requests for housing assistance.

“Rents and mortgages have been skyrocketing for the past few years,” he said.

“People do need help and it’s a reality,” said Flaherty of Winder. “We try to help people maintain their dignity while giving them assistance.”

He added: “With the Jackson EMC Foundation grant, we can do more to help more people. It’s a real blessing.”

The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded $10,000 grants to each of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Society conferences in Winder, Jefferson and Flowery Branch.

The grant for the Flowery Branch conference will help its Aid Hot Line program, which provides emergency aid to South Hall, North Gwinnett and West Jackson families in crisis for rent, mortgage and temporary housing to prevent homelessness and disrupted lives. The Gainesville grant will help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis. The Jackson County grant will help its financial assistance program that provides funds to Jackson and Banks County families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, transportation, car repair and insurance premiums, and medical assistance.

The grant for the Barrow County conference will help its financial assistance program that provides funds to Barrow County families in crisis for rent, mortgage and food.

]]>latest,communityTue, 17 Jul 2018 17:22:43 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_communityimpact.jpg?10000Jackson EMC Honors Top Right Choice Homebuildershttp://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-honors-top-right-choice-homebuilders/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-honors-top-right-choice-homebuilders/(JEFFERSON, GA. July 17, 2018) – Jackson EMC recently honored local companies with its Right Choice homebuilder awards. New homes built as Right Choice homes by Jackson EMC are built for energy efficiency and comfort.

“Right Choice is now 14 years old and stronger than it’s ever been,” said Amy Bryan, director of residential marketing for Jackson EMC. “This continued success is due in a large part to the commitment and belief in the program from the builders being recognized this year.”

The awards program was created by Jackson EMC last year as part of the celebration for surpassing 10 million square feet of Right Choice certified new home construction in Northeast Georgia, since the program’s inception in 2004.

The recognition program grants best in class awards and several community spotlight awards. For the best in class awards, the program grants a builder of the year and a leadership award in each of three categories. The three categories are based on the number of Right Choice homes completed in a given year.

The builder of the year award recognizes the effort and excellence of the company and their team. The leadership award recognizes a builder or superintendent whose individual effort has set the bar for everyone else. The community spotlight award is given to Right Choice builders whose dedication to energy efficient construction has a tremendous impact on the Jackson EMC community.

"The recipients of the community spotlight award are companies who have championed the Right Choice brand in both excellence and volume," Bryan said. "Commitment to quality energy efficient construction on this scale helps these homebuyers have lower bills and Jackson EMC maintain lower rates."

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 227,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

This June, Ebun Ajayi, Luke Bell, Andie Ellett and Briani Netzahuatl will join more than 1,700 Washington Youth Tour participants from electric co-ops across the country in the nation’s Capitol.

Briani Netzahuatl: Mountain View High School

Briani, a rising senior, is passionate about the Student Leadership Team, where she serves as communications chair, and its impact on students and the community. “It’s a great opportunity to collaborate as a team in creating monthly projects that benefit our community and help students get involved,” Briani said. Each month the team selects a big project. They have organized a donation drive for personal hygiene items for the local women’s shelter, a blood drive, and an international night for the entire community to celebrate different cultures. Briani said she values quality over quantity in all her endeavors and strives for an inclusive community-wide service-oriented atmosphere where students can grow and meet others while volunteering.

“My favorite project this year was the Prom Promise,” she said. Briani led the communication effort in bringing a nationally-known speaker and creating a week of programming before prom. “Many people in our community have been affected by drunk driving and recklessness or know someone who has,” she continued. “Students sign a pledge not to drink at prom, and I think we are making a difference in saving lives.”

Additionally, she serves as a volunteer at the North Gwinnett Co-Op, where she organizes, sorts and stacks food and clothes for the pantries and at the Planned Pethood Animal Shelter. “I love

community service work where I can see the people we are helping and serving,” she said. Briani plans a career in journalism.

Andie Ellett: Jackson County Comprehensive High School

Andie, a rising senior, became immersed in 4-H Club after a “Bring a Friend Day” event when she was nine years old. She joined the Llama Club and has risen to the national top 10 in showmanship.

“Llamas have a charming personality,” Andie said. “Animals are complex and have taught me to find the root of a problem. When a llama displays a behavior issue, I look for the ‘why’ behind it; something is a direct cause of the behavior. I’ve learned to apply this lesson to real world situations.”

In addition to her work with Llama Club in 4-H, Andie mentors elementary-age girls and participates in a variety of 4-H volunteer projects and teaches at state 4-H events. “She is intentional,” said Ali Merk, University of Georgia 4-H Agent, Jackson County Extension. “She has led numerous classes and programs under her own leadership.”

While her love for animals continues in her volunteer work for the Humane Society of Jackson County and a wildlife rehabilitation center, she also has a heart for senior citizens. She has led efforts to make more than 170 scarves and hats as Christmas gifts and has created variety shows for holiday parties, both for a local senior center. Plus, she takes her llamas to visitation days at nursing homes. “I find the most joy in life when I am helping others, especially in my community,” she said.

Andie plans to major in drama and business marketing for a career in the film industry.

Ebun Ajayi: Peachtree Ridge High School

Ebun realized how daunting the experience can be for new students. At the time, she had trouble navigating the school campus, sat alone at lunch and felt isolated since she didn’t know anyone at the school. As Ebun began talking to other students she discovered many had the same experience when they transferred from out of district. So, she approached the administration with her idea for a “Welcome Team” program. Principals, counselors and teachers embraced her idea. Her creation was so successful that it has been expanded to other schools in Gwinnett County.

“I’m grateful that my experiences have been able to help others,” said Ebun, now a rising junior. When she receives a list of new students from counselors, her team moves into action—writing notes, giving tours, sending invitations to sporting events and fine arts programs. “She is always willing to volunteer her time to serve fellow students,” said Peachtree Ridge Assistant Principal Lynne Best.

Ebun has a passion for connecting students on a deep, personal level. “Community is a support system that motivates and inspires me,” she said. “Friends are so important— they change you—either helping you or breaking you. It’s critical to be surrounded by people who share your values.”

In addition to the Welcome Team, Ebun runs on the track and field team, serves as chair of the Student Council Relay for Life team, is vice president of the Pan African Student Association, and tutors elementary students in math. Plus, she led a team of students who raised enough money to purchase two pumps that would bring clean water to remote villages in Africa. Ebun plans a career path in medicine.

Luke Bell Jefferson High School

Luke, a rising senior at Jefferson High School, has been playing piano since he was five years old. But when he heard a piano piece that melded Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” with the children’s classic hymn, “Jesus Loves Me” in middle school, he knew immediately that he wanted to add music to his career path.

Training as a classical pianist has taught him dedication in every endeavor.

“If you want to excel, you must be willing to work or practice,” Luke said. “I set goals each week, which culminate in learning a piece in a robust and satisfying way. I have translated that pattern to every area of my life.”

Although Luke played basketball, he quickly realized the difference in solo practice on the piano and team practice for sports.

“In sports, you have others going through the same thing—everybody on the team is practicing the same drill together,” he explained. “In piano, it’s just me and two hours every afternoon, which has given me a focus and discipline for other areas of my life.”

Luke’s love of musical challenges also enabled him to pick up the drums for his church worship band.

Luke and his two brothers own Triple L Farms in Maysville, where they are raising 15 dairy cows. He serves as a reading tutor and mentor for an elementary student, and volunteers for disaster relief programs through his church. Luke plans to incorporate piano studies into his career as a university professor in mathematics.

]]>latest,News,education,washington youth tour,communityWed, 20 Jun 2018 10:13:42 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_jemco-washingtondc.jpg?10000Community Impact: Hall County Library Systemhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-hall-county-library-system/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-hall-county-library-system/Within the walls of a library, there are more than just books. For library patrons, there are DVDs, special programs, ongoing classes for people of all ages, public access to computers and more. And with a library card, patrons can also access online resources, like eBooks and audio books.

A few years ago, the Hall County Library System recognized the need not only to increase public awareness of their resources, but also to serve under served populations.

“We’ve always had a vibrant outreach program with schools and assisted living facilities,” said Lisa MacKinney, library director of the Hall County Library System. “But that’s for organizations. (Our new program) will let us go to places to serve an individual.”

Starting this summer, the library system plans to roll out its mobile reading room at area festivals, community events, health fairs and more.

The concept is based on a custom-made product that uses a system of cubes to create mobile, stackable displays and benches for a mini reading room in public areas. Library staffers or volunteers can transport the cubes to outreach events, where they can encourage visitors to read or register for a library card.

“Once they have a library card, the world opens up to them,” MacKinney said.

Some people are reluctant to register for a library card or have transportation limitations, she added. By bringing library card registrations to communities via the mobile reading room, new patrons are more likely to visit a physical library or access its online resources.

The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant for the mobile reading room. Since 2006, the Hall County Library System has received a total of $16,897 from the Jackson EMC Foundation.

]]>latest,community,foundationTue, 19 Jun 2018 11:23:01 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_communityimpact-books.jpg?10000Linemen from Jackson EMC Bring Electricity to Villages in Boliviahttp://news.jacksonemc.com/bolivia/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/bolivia/(JEFFERSON, GA. May 29, 2018) – Four Jackson EMC linemen joined a volunteer team, sponsored by the NRECA International Foundation, which traveled to Bolivia to bring electricity to two remote villages in the Andes Mountains.

Jackson EMC partnered with Carroll EMC, Cobb EMC, Coweta-Fayette EMC, and Flint Energies to send a total of 11 linemen to build nine miles of line. Their work brought electricity to the agricultural villages of San Isidro and Murmutani, which had waited 10 years for access.

Gary Davis and Chris Wallace, journeyman linemen from Jackson EMC’s Gwinnett district, and Greg Angel and Tommy Minish, from the cooperative’s Neese district, were members of the team who brought light to 38 families.

The most significant challenge they faced was the high altitude, which made the team concerned about completing the assignment.

“You walked 10-15 feet and had to stop and catch your breath, so trying to climb a pole made it even harder at 13,000 feet above sea level,” Davis said.

“It was harder than expected,” Minish said. “It took us about four days to adjust to the altitude.”

Without modern equipment, the linemen walked pole to pole in hard terrain, often on the side of mountains.

“Their way of building lines is different; it’s really an old way,” Angel said. “So we had to step back in time.”

Minish added: “It was primitive work, back to the roots of line work. We didn’t have enough tools and it was all by-hand.”

“You put 11 linemen together for the first time, in high altitude, without the modern equipment we have at Jackson EMC, and it was remarkable what we were able to accomplish,” said Angel. After overcoming the initial challenges, the team finished the job a day early.

“The local villagers were very happy to see us and they were very excited and eager to help,” said Wallace.

Since they didn’t have a bucket truck or a cable puller, the villagers helped pull wire.

“One of my strongest memories is of a woman carrying a toddler on her back pulling wire up the side of the mountain where we were struggling just to walk,” said Minish.

Wallace explained his favorite memory of a 72-year-old man who farmed in the village his whole life. “He walked circles around everybody; he literally ran everywhere. He was so excited to work with us.”

After the villagers turned on the lights for the first time, they created a special celebration and presented the volunteer team with leis and sprinkled confetti on their heads, which is a traditional symbol of abundance Finally, they gave each lineman a hand-made alpaca wool hat.

Minish continued: “They will be able to grow and improve their communities. It reunited families. Children were living in the city with relatives because they didn’t have electricity to see their school work. Getting lights to these villages enabled the families to live together now.”

“It feels good to be part of a company making a difference,” Davis added.

This project was made possible by NRECA International, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, whose mission is to increase individual and community access to electricity in all parts of the world.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 227,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>coop,communityTue, 29 May 2018 17:00:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_042018-bolivia-359.jpg?10000Volunteer Linemen from Jackson EMC Bring Electricity to Villages in Boliviahttp://news.jacksonemc.com/volunteer-linemen-from-jackson-emc-bring-electricity-to-villages-in-bolivia/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/volunteer-linemen-from-jackson-emc-bring-electricity-to-villages-in-bolivia/(JEFFERSON, GA. May 29, 2018) – Four Jackson EMC linemen joined a volunteer team, sponsored by the NRECA International Foundation, which traveled to Bolivia to bring electricity to two remote villages in the Andes Mountains.

Jackson EMC partnered with Carroll EMC, Cobb EMC, Coweta-Fayette EMC, and Flint Energies to send a total of 11 linemen to build nine miles of line. Their work brought electricity to the agricultural villages of San Isidro and Murmutani, which had waited 10 years for access.

Gary Davis and Chris Wallace, journeyman linemen from Jackson EMC’s Gwinnett district, and Greg Angel and Tommy Minish, from the cooperative’s Neese district, were members of the team who brought light to 38 families.

The most significant challenge they faced was the high altitude, which made the team concerned about completing the assignment.

“You walked 10-15 feet and had to stop and catch your breath, so trying to climb a pole made it even harder at 13,000 feet above sea level,” Davis said.

“It was harder than expected,” Minish said. “It took us about four days to adjust to the altitude.”

Without modern equipment, the linemen walked pole to pole in hard terrain, often on the side of mountains.

“Their way of building lines is different; it’s really an old way,” Angel said. “So we had to step back in time.”

Minish added: “It was primitive work, back to the roots of line work. We didn’t have enough tools and it was all by-hand.”

“You put 11 linemen together for the first time, in high altitude, without the modern equipment we have at Jackson EMC, and it was remarkable what we were able to accomplish,” said Angel. After overcoming the initial challenges, the team finished the job a day early.

“The local villagers were very happy to see us and they were very excited and eager to help,” said Wallace.

Since they didn’t have a bucket truck or a cable puller, the villagers helped pull wire.

“One of my strongest memories is of a woman carrying a toddler on her back pulling wire up the side of the mountain where we were struggling just to walk,” said Minish.

Wallace explained his favorite memory of a 72-year-old man who farmed in the village his whole life. “He walked circles around everybody; he literally ran everywhere. He was so excited to work with us.”

After the villagers turned on the lights for the first time, they created a special celebration and presented the volunteer team with leis and sprinkled confetti on their heads, which is a traditional symbol of abundance Finally, they gave each lineman a hand-made alpaca wool hat.

Minish continued: “They will be able to grow and improve their communities. It reunited families. Children were living in the city with relatives because they didn’t have electricity to see their school work. Getting lights to these villages enabled the families to live together now.”

“It feels good to be part of a company making a difference,” Davis added.

This project was made possible by NRECA International, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, whose mission is to increase individual and community access to electricity in all parts of the world.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 227,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,News,coop,communityTue, 29 May 2018 07:30:00 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_042018-bolivia-359.jpg?10000Community Impact: Food Bank of Northeast Georgiahttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact--food-bank-of-northeast-georgia/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact--food-bank-of-northeast-georgia/One in six Georgians is food insecure – meaning they don’t know where they’ll find their next meal, according to the Georgia Food Bank Association.

Using a fleet of refrigerated box trucks and tractor-trailer trucks, the food bank’s Mobile Food Pantry Program brings food options to food insecure people who are ill, needy, seniors or children. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia coordinates its Mobile Food Pantry Program through partner agencies, such as churches and senior centers, to deliver food at their locations.

It’s those partner agencies who tell their community members that could benefit from the mobile food pantry about upcoming deliveries.

“We call hunger a silent issue. People don’t speak up publicly when they need food. Only their local groups and neighbors may know they need help,” said Mark Bailey, grant manager for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

What makes the Mobile Food Pantry unique is its ability to provide a farmer’s market style option with plenty of fresh and healthy foods. Families can receive up to 50 pounds of food that includes produce, dairy and meat products. Each event at partner agencies feeds an average of 600 people and delivers an average of more than 9,000 meals.

In 2017, the Mobile Food Pantry delivered more than 4.1 million pounds of food at partner agency events.

“We’re not just fighting a meal gap, but a nutrition gap,” Bailey said.

Keeping a large supply of refrigerated food isn’t feasible for most partner agencies, he explained.

Instead, the Athens-based food bank brings fresh and nonperishable food directly to partner agencies, who often set up the farmer’s market style events in their parking lot. Partner agencies may have regularly-scheduled mobile food pantry events or plan a single event.

But in an age when students are more plugged in to technology than the great outdoors, getting hands-on learning in nature is becoming more challenging.

“We get quite a few students who have never been in nature,” said Jan­ice Jones, school program registrar at Elachee Nature Science Center, Gainesville.

Nestled in the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve in Hall County, the Elachee Nature Science Center has long been providing a recreational and educational destination for visitors wanting to connect with nature. The 1,440-acre preserve includes 12 miles of hiking trails, gardens, ani­mal exhibits and exhibit halls.

To get students to enjoy and learn from nature, Elachee offers STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathemat­ics) programs and field trips, all of which follow Georgia’s curriculum.

“A third grade class that’s learning about geology in their classroom can come here and continue their lessons,” Jones said.

Educators can select from a range of field trips, such as those about as­tronomy, plants, animals, aquatic studies and habitats. Elachee also has a partnership with Chattahooche Riverkeeper and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to offer a floating classroom onboard a boat on Lake Lanier. There, students sample plankton, collect lake sediments and more.

“It’s hands-on and students are very excited,” said Peter Gordon, Elachee’s director of education.

For those students who may have little experience in nature, Elachee’s staff make students feel comfortable and encourage them to have fun learning, Jones said. Kids are invited to explore the environment and try something new.

Before they arrive, Elachee provides educators with materials to prepare students for their visit, such as spe­cial activities and vocabulary words students may discuss while on their trip.

During the 2016-2017 academic year, 23,381 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in Jackson EMC’s service area participated in Elachee’s school programming. But for some schools, getting the funds for such field trips may be challenging.

To help qualified schools offset a portion of the field trips, the Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded the Elachee Nature Science Center a $10,500 grant to serve schools in Jackson EMC’s service area. Since 2016, Elachee has received $29,600 in grants from the Jackson EMC Foundation.

According to Jones, the grant allows students to learn in nature at Elachee who may not have otherwise had the opportunity.

]]>latest,community,education,NewsWed, 18 Apr 2018 15:39:40 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_img-20160408-105717012.jpg?10000Community Impact: Ser Familiahttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-ser-familia/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-ser-familia/What started as a personal passion has evolved into an organization that serves thousands of Latinos in North Georgia and prepares hundreds of volunteers to serve other families.

Ser Familia, Inc.’s mission is to strengthen, revitalize, and equip Latino youth, couples, parents and families through programs and services that empower them to thrive and enjoy a healthy family environment. The nonprofit has more than 72 programs with 200 volunteers to help facilitate its services.

Almost 20 years ago, Miguel and Belisa Urbina began helping couples who were having relationship difficulties. Both natives of Puerto Rico, they noticed the lack of local programs for couples in Spanish.

“Your feelings are in your native language,” Belisa said. “When you’re talking about love and other emotions, your natural reaction is to express it in your native language.”

Miguel and Belisa started Ser Familia in 2001 to serve Latino families. Over the years, the organization has grown to include parenting classes, workshops for youth and teens, family counseling, and support for victims of domestic violence.

“You see the transformation in families,” said Belisa, who is also the executive director of the organization.

Ser Familia has been successful, according to Belisa, because it strives for families participating in its programs to later serve as volunteers. Those volunteers work along aside professionals at Ser Familia to provide counseling to families and individuals.

“There is a problem with mental health, especially among youth,” said Belisa. “More teens are suffering from depression and talk about suicide.”

The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded Ser Familia a $12,500 grant to provide mental health services for its Spanish-speaking clients. The funds will be used to prepare a child’s play therapy room at its Buford office and telemedicine services to link clients with medical professionals.

Belisa said the grant will help some of its youngest clients get the support they need.

“We have children who have been victims of sexual violence,” she said. “We have children who have witnessed sexual violence.”

Ser Familia also received a $7,500 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation in July 2016 to provide mental health counseling services, including for victims of domestic violence and sexual, and for suicide counseling.

]]>latest,foundation,communityTue, 13 Mar 2018 13:35:44 -0400https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_jemcoserfamilia20181.jpeg?10000Community Spotlight: Powering Homes and Saving Dogshttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-spotlight-powering-homes-and-saving-dogs/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-spotlight-powering-homes-and-saving-dogs/Jackson County has a serious problem with abandoned dogs. One Jackson EMC team member has taken on the challenge, and now plays a vital role in helping these dogs find a new forever home.

When Greg Mathis, system control coordinator, leaves a shift of helping to keep the lights on for our members, he starts another shift fostering and finding homes for abandoned dogs in his community. Greg is the founder of 2nd Chance Dog Park and Kennels. This local, nonprofit organization rescues, fosters, rehabilitates and secures homes for dogs without a family to call their own.

Since Greg started fostering dogs in 2011, he has provided a second chance to more than 65 dogs. “We work with the Jackson County Humane Society, Jackson County Animal Control and the Saving North Georgia Dogs and Cats Rescue,” said Greg. “We have a common goal of saving dogs tossed on the side of the road, abandoned like trash.”

Caring for these animals is much more than a part-time effort, and fortunately for Greg, he has a strong community of support. One example of the team effort needed for the program’s success came during Tropical Storm Irma.

When the weather knocks out power to our members, all Jackson EMC employees report for duty. And, for any of us who have ever had a dog, we know that bad weather can be a nervous time for them. Before reporting for storm duty, Greg ensured he had a plan in place for the 16 dogs and puppies in his care to ride out the storm safely and comfortably.

“I moved 10 dogs in large kennels into my small, wood-working shop, and my neighbor, who helps me as part of her high school FFA project, took the six puppies,” said Greg, who set up fans, air conditioning, water and music for the dogs, as well as securing his house, cars and family in case he lost electricity during Irma. All the dogs and puppies came through the storm with resilience.

It’s not just during a tropical storm that 2nd Chance Dog Park works as a team effort, it is in daily operations, care and medical resources, too. High school students in the FFA program volunteer to help care for the dogs as part of their service projects. Neighbors, friends and supporters stop by to help feed, walk and play with the dogs each evening. And, through community donations, Greg is able to ensure the dogs are well fed, receive necessary medical treatment, and the kennels provide a safe and comfortable temporary home. “I’ve developed strong relationships with people in our community, who have donated dog houses, bowls, towels, blankets, collars and fencing,“ Greg said.

When it comes to finding forever homes that’s no easy task either. Greg and his wife Traci do much of the work behind the scenes, networking with rescue groups in other states, particularly the northeast. Many of their rescues/fosters are transported to Canada, Maine, upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Greg makes a name plate for each dog and places it on their kennel. When they are adopted, he moves the name plate to his shop ceiling.

It’s a tremendous undertaking to be a foster family for dogs. Many of the dogs come scared and need lots of love to feel comfortable around people again. Others arrive heartworm positive, which is costly to treat but a death sentence otherwise. These challenges can prove daunting and prohibitive for fosters without a support system like Greg’s. When Greg started fostering in 2011, he was just one of 26 foster homes in Jackson County. Now, Greg is the only one of five foster homes for dogs in Jackson County. Greg loves bringing dogs and families together with his philosophy “there is a perfect home for every dog.” As Greg noted, “The most rewarding aspect of fostering dogs is knowing I can help change not just a dog’s life, but a family’s life who will get a great pet.”

###

Photos:

Greg Mathis has assisted in a leg-to-leg transport for 10 dogs to new homes in the Northeast. Shiloh is shown enjoying her new life in Maine after being adopted by an avid outdoors enthusiast where they hike, swim, run and bike together. Shiloh was with Greg for 12 months as a foster.

Adorning Greg’s shop ceiling are the name plates from all the dogs he has fostered who found a forever home.

]]>latest,communityTue, 27 Feb 2018 11:14:28 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_gregmathis-preview1.jpg?10000Foundation Exceeds $13 Million in Grants Awarded http://news.jacksonemc.com/foundation-exceeds-13-million-in-grants-awarded/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/foundation-exceeds-13-million-in-grants-awarded/(JEFFERSON, GA. Feb. 21, 2018) –With the grants approved by the Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors at their February meeting, the Foundation has now reached the $13 million in grants awarded milestone.

In 2008, the Foundation began reaching another million dollar milestone on its October anniversary date. The Foundation’s growth is reflected in recent million dollar milestones – the $10 million milestone was reached in June 2015, the $11 million milestone in May 2016, and the $12 million milestone in April 2017. The 2018 milestone was reached eight months ahead of what will be the Foundation’s 13th anniversary in October.

The Foundation averages nearly $98,000 in grants each month, due to the generous participation of Jackson EMC members, of which nearly 98 percent participate in Operation Round Up. Those participating have their monthly electric bill rounded up to the next dollar amount, with that “spare change” going directly to fund grant applications. Since its founding in 2005, the Jackson EMC Foundation has awarded 1,279 grants to organizations and 357 grants to individuals.

Representing FFA and 4-H clubs from Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties, 47 young people competed for awards, ribbons and cash prizes. Together they entered 91 cattle in the competition held at the Jackson County Comprehensive High School Livestock Center in Jefferson.

A Commercial Heifer shown by Keeley Shultz, East Jackson Middle 4-H, won Reserve Supreme Champion. A steer shown by Brandon Boling, Banks County FFA, won Grand Champion Steer honors. In showmanship, Cohen McClure, Jackson County 4-H, won the Novice category; Morgan McDaniel, West Jackson Middle FFA, won the Junior Category; Madyson McDaniel, Jackson County FFA, won the Intermediate Category; and Hunter Spear, Commerce FFA, won the Senior Category.

Young people competing in the Quality Beef Show use the experience and judge’s feedback to prepare for the statewide competition on February 21-25 in Perry. Each year since 1969, Jackson EMC has sponsored the Quality Beef Show to honor the contribution the agriculture industry makes to Northeast Georgia’s economy.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>Beef Show 2018,4-H,FFA,News,communityTue, 13 Feb 2018 12:33:41 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_2018supremechampionheifer.jpg?10000Community Impact: Family Tieshttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-family-ties/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-family-ties/Formed in 1989, Family TIES of Gainesville works to break the cycle of abuse and neglect in families through parenting and intervention programs that teach adults how to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children.

“We serve families who wish to improve their parenting skills as well as families who are incarcerated or mandated by Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) or the court system,” said Executive Director Dee Dee Mize. “We had one case where a mom’s children were taken from her. The husband was in a drug cartel and had abused their daughter for five years. The mother had been sexually abused as a child, was married at 14 and divorced at 16.”

Such circumstances can seem impossible to overcome, but through family counseling, individual counseling, parenting classes and one-on-one parenting instruction, Family TIES can help turn things around.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” Mize said. “Sometimes it takes a village to raise an adult, too.”

Parenting classes at Family TIES focus on communication skills, bonding and teaching what a healthy relationship is, not just with children but with partners as well, according to Mize.

“We work on discipline options, teaching parents about time out, taking away toys or privileges,” she said. “We do classes on social media, on proper ways of listening and responding to children, and on dealing with substance abuse issues that lead to neglect.”

Parenting 101 classes are for soon-to-be parents or caregivers for those with children ages 0 to 18.

“We work with families on how to encourage their kids,” said Mize, pointing out statistics that reveal that in a typical day the average adolescent hears 432 negative statements versus 32 positive. “So, they really need more positive reinforcement.”

Programs are offered for teenagers whose parents are enrolled at Family TIES and include a teen group that helps adolescents with coping skills, self-esteem and how to deal with bullying. Parenting classes for Spanish speaking parents are offered, and one-on-one parenting classes are available to families in crisis.

Family TIES of Gainesville works with close to 2,000 families yearly, according to Mize who says parenting classes typically take about six months to complete.

Photo: Executive Director Dee Dee Mize chats with clients during a parenting class for Family TIES of Gainesville.

]]>latest,community,foundationFri, 12 Jan 2018 10:04:49 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_jemco-familytiescommunityimpact.jpeg?10000Jackson EMC Donates $10K to Extra Special People http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-10k-to-extra-special-people/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-10k-to-extra-special-people/(JEFFERSON, GA. Jan. 5, 2018) – Jackson EMC donated $10,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville for its Camp Hooray property. ESP serves children and young adults with developmental disabilities and their families through year-round programming, family support and community involvement.

“This donation will give kids and adults of all abilities the chance to engage in sustainability programs and projects at Camp Hooray,” said Ashley Hilmer, coordinator of development for Extra Special People (ESP). “Specifically, we will be able to create a special camp garden with raised beds for our after-school and camp programs.”

Camp Hooray will one day be the home of ESP's summer camp, serving children throughout Georgia. Currently, the rustic camp provides a space for outdoor enrichment, summer recreation, and quality family time to ESP's 300 families.

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters with 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,community,NewsTue, 09 Jan 2018 09:02:47 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_esp.camphooray2017.jpg?10000Jackson EMC Donates $10K to Jackson County Schools Foundation http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-10k-to-jackson-county-schools-foundation/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-10k-to-jackson-county-schools-foundation/(JEFFERSON, GA. Dec. 26, 2017) –Jackson EMC donated $10,000 to the Jackson County Schools Foundation for the Empower College and Career Center, which will bring the area’s first college and career academy to local students.

“The Empower Center will prepare students for success by providing personalized pathways to higher education and career opportunities,” said Dr. April Howard, Jackson County Schools superintendent.

Howard continued, “Students in our community will experience authentic learning in the context of innovative entrepreneurial business approach within high tech industries. Work Force Development opportunities aligned to the needs of our business and industries will provide great mutual benefit to our community, as well.”

The center is a collaborative effort between the school system and business and industry leaders to develop a learning environment that incorporates college courses and technical certifications as part of the high school experience. The school is on schedule to open for students in 2020.

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters with 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

Photo: A $10,000 Jackson EMC check to the Jackson County Schools Foundation will help fund the Empower Center for Jackson County students. At the check presentation are (from left) Dr. April Howard, Jackson County Schools superintendent; April Sorrow, Jackson EMC director of communications; Steve Bryant, Jackson County Schools board chair; and Wade Johnson, Jackson EMC commercial and industrial marketing representative.

From adopting seniors who had no family to building a ramp for a woman who is wheelchair-bound, Jackson EMC employees consider it a privilege to put the cooperative principle of “Concern for the Community” into practice every day, but especially during the month of December.

Angel Giving Tree for Seniors

Customer service representatives from Jackson EMC’s Contact Center adopted four senior citizens at a local senior living center.

“We called and asked if they had any residents who didn’t have family,” said Brenda Moore, a customer service representative who coordinated the project. Northridge Health and Rehabilitation Home in Commerce, Ga. shared wish lists for two men and two women who didn’t have families.

“We created an angel giving tree and wrote the items on tags,” Moore said. “Then our team could choose items. We were able to overstuff four laundry baskets.”

The baskets were filled with slipper socks, candy, puzzle books, coloring books, lotions and other toiletries, plus a plush toy. The Contact Center staff and their children presented the gift baskets and sang Christmas carols for the residents.

Salvation Army Bell Ringers

Employees from our Gainesville and Gwinnett offices braved cold, rainy days serving as Salvation Army bell ringers. More than a dozen employees from the Gwinnett office’s engineering and customer service departments took over bell ringing duties at Sugarloaf Mills, while Gainesville customer service representatives rang bells at Walmart.

My Sister’s Place Assistance

Jackson EMC employees at the Gainesville office adopted eight children from My Sister’s Place shelter. The children—four girls and two boys—ranged in age from five to 11.

“With the generosity of my co-workers, we were able to give at least four toys for each child,” said Diane Davis, a customer service representative who served as the Christmas project coordinator for the Gainesville office.

Christmas for Children Donations

Employees from our Neese office adopted 11 children from the Madison County Food Bank’s Christmas for Children program. Lineman Dwayne Dickerson and district secretary Melanie Berryman collected money from fellow employees and went on a shopping spree for the children, who ranged in age from six months to 11 years.

“We had so much fun buying toys for the children,” Berryman said.

“We adopt children every year, but this year we were able to adopt the most children ever,” Dickerson said.

Jackson Family Connection Sponsorship

Jackson EMC employees at the Jefferson office auctioned a nine-foot artificial Christmas tree and combined the funds with gift donations to sponsor seven children through Jackson County Family Connection.

Rotary Club Ramp Building

Three linemen from our Oakwood office helped the Gainesville Rotary Club build its 108th ramp for a family in Flowery Branch. Shea Vaughn, Jose Salgado and Bobby Watkins joined Brent Cochran, director of customer service for Jackson EMC and current Gainesville Rotary president.

Helping a Family After Residential Fire

Employees in the corporate office adopted a single mom and her children whose apartment was destroyed in a fire in October. Members of the communication department presented the Winder family with gift cards for groceries, clothes and restaurants.

]]>News,community,latestThu, 21 Dec 2017 16:00:03 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_img9431.jpeg?10000Community Impact: Tiny Stitcheshttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-tiny-stitches/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-tiny-stitches/Providing Comfort for Babies in NeedWhen a nurse noticed some families taking their newborns home in just a diaper and towel, she gathered a group of colleagues to use their sewing skills to help babies have a better start.

Today, Tiny Stitches, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides disadvantaged newborns in North Georgia with enough clothing and blankets to keep them warm for the first three months of their lives.

Based in Suwanee, Tiny Stitches has more than 200 volunteers spread across North Georgia lovingly sewing, knitting and crocheting handmade blankets, nightgowns, sleepers, caps, socks, undershirts and more for newborns. Those items are then packaged in a tote bag and taken for delivery to families in need. Since its inception in 1999, the group has provided more than 8,160 layettes for newborns.

Last year, Tiny Stiches provided 255 layettes for newborns in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Franklin counties. The group recently received a $10,000 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation to purchase supplies for its volunteers, who sew blankets and clothing for newborns.

“Our volunteers help because these babies wouldn’t have any warm clothes or blankets,” said Susan Brunton, president of Tiny Stitches.

Volunteers can sew at home or join local workshops, where they can drop off their creations, collect sewing supplies and yarn, and share ideas with fellow sewers. Regular workshops are held throughout Northeast Georgia. Supply donations are also accepted at the Atlanta Sewing Center in Duluth and Marietta.

After knitting, crocheting and sewing items, the layettes are taken to various local hospitals, health departments, women’s shelters and civic organizations for distribution. The families receiving these handmade gifts often don’t know who created them.

“We don’t do it for the thank you’s,” Brunton said. “We do it for the babies and to make life a little easier for the family.”

Jackson EMC members are also helping newborns in need, thanks to their Operation Round Up contributions, Brunton said.

“The Jackson EMC Foundation has really helped us,” she said. “We couldn’t do what we do without a Jackson EMC Foundation grant. We can’t thank them enough.”

]]>latest,community,foundationThu, 14 Dec 2017 08:41:45 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_baby.jpg?10000Jackson EMC Donates $20K to Good Samaritan Dental Clinichttp://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-20k-to-good-samaritan-dental-clinic/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-donates-20k-to-good-samaritan-dental-clinic/(JEFFERSON, GA. Dec. 12, 2017) – Jackson EMC has donated $20,000 to the Good Samaritan Clinic of Gwinnett for the purchase of equipment for the new dental clinic.

Gwinnett’s only full-time charity dental practice serves uninsured residents of Gwinnett County and has delivered more than 2,500 dental appointments since July 2017. “This money will enable us to purchase more dental chairs and other equipment so we can provide even more care for the poor and uninsured of our community,” said Greg Lang, executive director of the Good Samaritan Clinic.

Lang continued, “We offer low-cost dental care to serve those who are poor, do not have dental insurance, and cannot afford routine dental care in traditional settings.”

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

Photo: Jackson EMC Gwinnett District Manager Randy Dellinger presents Greg Lang, executive director of the Good Samaritan Clinic, and his staff with a $20,000 Jackson EMC check to Good Samaritan Clinic Gwinnett that will help fund the dental clinic to serve uninsured residents.

The Jackson EMC donation was made from margin refunds that have been unclaimed by the electric cooperative’s members for five years. Legislation passed in 2005 permits Georgia electric cooperatives to make charitable, education and economic development contributions of unclaimed margin refunds.

Since 1987 Good News at Noon has grown from its original free-lunch program to include a homeless shelter, food pantry and summer school program. Each year more than 15,000 people are fed, clothed and housed at Good News at Noon.

“This donation will enable us to buy commercial grade equipment that supports meal preparation, food storage and clean up so we can continue to serve more than 1,300 hot meals per month,” said Alejandro Oropeza, director of Good News at Noon.

Oropeza continued, “Currently, Good News at Noon relies on volunteers preparing the food remotely then transporting it to the facility, which limits those who can support our efforts based on their access to equipment to prepare and cook for so many people. Commercial equipment on-site will improve the experience for the recipient and volunteer, as well as aid in ensuring the quality of food prep.”

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters with 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

Photo: A $20,000 Jackson EMC check to Good News at Noon will provide a commercial kitchen enabling the ministry to serve more than 1,300 people each month. At the check presentation are (from left) Tom Fitzgerald, Angela Sheppard and Anne Dittman, Good News at Noon board members ; David Lee, Jackson EMC Gainesville district manager; Sandra Henderson, board member; Beth Oropeza, assistant director; Alejandro Oropeza, director; Joe Campbell, board chair.

Applicants must be accepted, or enrolled currently, as a full- or part-time student, at any accredited two- or four-year university, college, or vocational-technical institute in Georgia. Applicants must be Jackson EMC members or the child of a member and resident of the home served by Jackson EMC.

The scholarship is merit-based, and students are evaluated on financial need, grade point average, SAT scores, academic standing, scholastic honors and community involvement. Applicants must complete an application and submit a biographical sketch with educational goals.

To receive an application, students should contact their school guidance counselor or visit www.jacksonemc.com/walterharrisonscholarship. Eleven students across Georgia will be awarded scholarships, which are sponsored by Georgia’s 41 electric cooperatives. Completed applications are due by February 2, 2018.

The Harrison Scholarship is named in honor of a leader in the state and national electric cooperative movements. Since 1987, $191,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 202 recipients. Judges select winners for the Harrison Scholarship each year based on a combination of need, academic ability, extracurricular activities, autobiographical sketch and recommendations.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,community,scholarshipThu, 07 Dec 2017 09:44:47 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_scholarship.jpg?10000Where There's a Passion, There's a Place to Servehttp://news.jacksonemc.com/where-theres-a-passion-theres-a-place-to-serve-17/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/where-theres-a-passion-theres-a-place-to-serve-17/Melanie Berryman has a passion for serving others. “My passion is being a voice for those less fortunate, sharing my story to help others so they don’t feel alone in their own story or struggle,” said Berryman, who serves as district secretary for the Neese office.

In November, Berryman was awarded the Georgia EMC 2017 Community Service and Volunteerism Award for EMC employees at the state-wide annual meeting.

Berryman has been involved in community service for Madison County for more than 20 years. Currently, she serves on the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Council where she trains and presents the “Birds and Bees, Not Fish and Flies” educational curriculum for parents and community groups to help parents talk to their children about making healthy choices regarding sexual behaviors. She actively coordinates community fair displays, summits and conferences to educate the community on teen pregnancy prevention.

“As a teen parent myself more than 30 years ago, I know the struggles of continuing your education,” said Berryman. “I definitely feel called to mentor teen girls,” she continued. through the Teen Parent Support Group at MART (Madison Area Resource Team),” she continued.

Berryman’s involvement with MART helps address the need for teen pregnancy prevention efforts and education, the need for teen parents to return to school and the need to provide school supplies to students in Madison County schools. “My favorite moment is watching these teen parents cross the stage at graduation,” said Berryman.

Berryman has mentored more than 100 teen moms over the last 20 years. She encourages them to complete their high school education, and many proceed to college, too. Her most recent success story is Samantha, a young mom with a small child, who earned her high school diploma, and is working toward her college degree while employed as a paraprofessional at Madison County High School.

“Melanie started mentoring teen moms before we even had the program,” said Shirley Aaron, Director of the Madison County Mentor Program. “The support she gives teen moms and dads prepares them to be good parents and keeps them in school to graduate.”

Beegee Elder, child nutrition manager at the Northeast Georgia Food Bank, said Berryman was a blessing to her community. “She’s such an inspiration to teen mothers, and I appreciate her commitment to our students.”

Berryman has twice won the Jean Harris Volunteer of the Year Award for the Madison County Rotary Club, and was featured in the Mentor Spotlight Section of her local newspaper recently. In addition to her work in teen pregnancy prevention, she serves on the Executive Committee of MART and volunteers with the “Food 2 Kids” backpack program at Hull-Sanford Elementary School.

“Volunteer work has helped me understand our Jackson EMC members and community better, and it’s helped me build strong relationships in the community we serve,” said Berryman.

According to Jackson EMC Neese District Manager Jean Mullis, Berryman has made a lasting impact in northeast Georgia.

“Melanie’s heart lies in her mentorship of teen mothers,” Mullis says. “Through the Madison Area Resource Team (MART) Teen Parent Support Group, she has mentored more than 100 teen moms in the past 20 years.”

“She encourages them to complete their high school education, and many proceed to college, too,” Mullis notes. “Her most recent success is a young mom who earned her high school diploma and is earning her college degree while working at a local high school.”

Moreover, Berryman coordinates every aspect of the MART’s annual “Back to School Supply Rally” and procures school supplies from local businesses, secures sponsors, fills grade-appropriate backpacks, recruits volunteers, and develops all supporting materials.

“I have the privilege of working with Melanie in many areas,” says Shirley Aaron, director, Madison County Mentor Program. “Although she has been a mentor in our program since 2002, she actually began mentoring high school teen parents in 1996, two years before our mentor program was even founded. The support she gives these teens prepares them to be good parents and keeps them in school to graduate.”

Berryman’s other chief contribution in Madison County involves serving on the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Council. She trains and presents the “Bird and Bees, Not Fish and Flies” educational curriculum for parents and community groups to help parents talk with their children about appropriate sexual behavior. She actively coordinates community fair displays, summits and conferences to educate the community on teen pregnancy prevention.

In addition, Berryman donates time and attention to Family Connection of Madison County, the Madison County School System, and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Action Team—Madison County Health Department.

Nominations for the Community Service and Volunteerism Awards were reviewed by an independent panel of judges from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, including Division Director of Community Development Rusty Haygood; Executive Assistant to the Commissioner Traci Turgeon; and Community Development Specialist Cam Yearty.

The purpose of the Georgia EMC Community Service and Volunteerism Award is to spotlight the outstanding efforts and initiatives of EMC management, individual directors and employees who are working to build stronger communities.

About Jackson EMC

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

About Georgia EMC

Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state’s 41 electric membership cooperatives, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Through this statewide network, the EMCs provide electricity and related services to 4.4 million people, nearly half of Georgia’s population, across 73 percent of the state’s land area.

The 2017 grants represent the diversity of learning options for the 21st century student, including live theater production lighting and sound engineering, kinetic sculptures and animatronics, and agriculture technology. In addition, the grant provides teaching options for today’s educators, such as quadratics through catapult building, history through a student-written play, and earth science through wind turbine construction.

The Bright Ideas grant program, now in its fourth year at Jackson EMC, funds innovative classroom projects developed by state-certified public middle school educators within the counties served by Jackson EMC. Educators for grades six through eight are awarded up to $2,000 in grant funds for classroom projects that are not funded through general education dollars.

A complete list of our 2017 Bright Ideas grant recipients is available here.

]]>latest,community,educationTue, 14 Nov 2017 13:55:41 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_20171025brightideascom48521.jpeg?10000Community Impact: Georgia Children's Chorushttp://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-georgia-childrens-chorus/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/community-impact-georgia-childrens-chorus/NOW IN ITS 20TH SEASON, THE GEORGIA CHILDREN’S CHORUS ISN’T JUST ABOUT SINGING. FOR ITS YOUNG PARTICIPANTS, IT’S ALSO ABOUT LEARNING RESPONSIBILITY, COMMITMENT, TEAMWORK AND SELF-CONFIDENCE.

The Georgia Children’s Chorus is a 100-voice children’s chorus in-residence at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia. Its singers – who range from age seven to 18 and are from the Athens area – receive professional choral training and opportunities to perform.

The chorus offers beginning, intermediate and advanced vocal training. Singers are selected through an audition process and placed in a choir according to their singing ability and age.

Each year, the non-profit chorus performs two major concerts in Hodgson Hall in the UGA Performing Arts Center, along with numerous community events. The chorus has also performed at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the Lincoln Center in New York City.

The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded a grant of $12,500 to the Georgia Children’s Chorus to help up to 20 students from low-income families in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties participate in choral training and performance opportunities.

"Kids who’ve been through the program tell me they learned music but so much more. It’s built their confidence and helped them learn communications skills. When they go into the work field or college for interviews, they feel they can better handle themselves with more confidence and poise."

]]>latest,communityTue, 14 Nov 2017 13:55:12 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_november17slides110717page7.jpeg?16856The Most Under-Rated Benefit A Veteran Could Havehttp://news.jacksonemc.com/the-most-under-rated-benefit-a-veteran-could-have/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/the-most-under-rated-benefit-a-veteran-could-have/Chris June, a Jackson EMC Gwinnett District lineman, is in a unique position to relate to the concerns and issues of veterans dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He comes from a long-line of family members who have served in the military.

June’s grandfathers both served - one served in the Korean Conflict in the Army Air Corps and the other retired from the Air Force, where his father also served; his aunt and uncle are Marines, and another aunt served in the Air Force, and an uncle was a Marine. The oldest of five brothers and one sister, June enlisted in the Army when he turned 18 on Valentine’s Day, 2002. By November, he was fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, stationed at Bagram Airbase and other firebases throughout the country as part of a specialized team attached to a special forces unit.

After serving a year-long deployment, June returned home and joined AMVETS. However, he quickly discovered a need for local services for local veterans. To meet this need he, along with Michelle and Joe Walker, a military family in Auburn, helped form Military Veterans of Georgia (MVG) in 2010. Based in Winder, MVG provides a local, hands-on approach to helping veterans return to civilian life.

June knows how difficult returning to civilian life can be. Nationwide, 22 veterans die from suicide every day. He also realizes the healing power his own dogs provide for him, especially in dealing with triggers from his combat experience. “I have three 70-pound dogs—so the four of us act as one ThunderShirt during Fourth of July fireworks. Fireworks can be triggers for dogs just like combat veterans,” said June. (ThunderShirts are calming vests that apply gentle, constant pressure for dogs.)

The average waiting period for a military service dog is three years and costs between $7,500-$25,000, which is prohibitive for most veterans. So June helped develop MVG’s signature program—Operation Atlas in 2014. MVG works with local shelters to find potential dogs and with local trainers to create military service dogs for local veterans. The average training time for a military service dog is 12-24 months.

Once the dog completes basic training, the dog is paired with a veteran, and they participate in advanced training together for the specific needs of the veteran. Local trainer Rachael York is able to train for specific behaviors applicable for veterans with PTSD, such as alert & distract when a dog senses when the veteran becomes stressed and alerts the veteran by nudging his/her hand or leg thereby providing a distraction. “The veteran then strokes the dog, which is calming,” said York.

"We have a comradery of veterans at Jackson EMC. Even though we may be generations apart, we gravitate to each other."

Veterans can use their own dogs for a training cost of $1,000. If the veteran doesn’t have his own dog, Operation Atlas can provide the dog for a cost of $2,000, which covers veterinary bills, food, housing and supplies, in addition to the training fee. However, veterans in financial need are never denied based on cost. “We offer volunteer opportunities so veterans can earn the dog,” said Michelle Walker.

One of their greatest needs is foster families for the dogs-in-training. “We’ve found dogs at local shelters. We’ve found trainers. But we need more foster families who can support the program,” said June.

“We’ve placed or trained eight dogs for veterans in two years,” said June. “These dogs enrich the lives of veterans with PTSD on a daily basis. They help ease anxiety. It’s a cool feeling to see how a dog changes lives. Dogs can sense anxiety. PTSD alters quality of life, so having a service dog helps returning veterans live a normal life.”

These service dogs are increasing quality of life for many veterans, including one Iraqi war veteran, who has traumatic brain injury and severe PTSD. “He is now able to live with fewer debilitating flashbacks thanks to a service dog we trained and gave to him,” June shared.

An avid outdoorsman who takes his dogs hiking, fishing and boating, June looked up from petting his dogs, smiled and said, “A dog is the most under-rated benefit a veteran could have.”

]]>latest,communityFri, 10 Nov 2017 17:14:21 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_chrisjune.diego.michllewalker2017.jpeg?10000Chestatee and Johnson High Schools Win Cooperative Sportsmanship Awardhttp://news.jacksonemc.com/chestatee-and-johnson-high-schools-win-cooperative-sportsmanship-award/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/chestatee-and-johnson-high-schools-win-cooperative-sportsmanship-award/(JEFFERSON, GA. Nov. 10, 2017) – Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) announced Chestatee High School and Johnson High School, both in Hall County, are winners of the 2016-2017 Georgia High School Association Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards. The awards recognize respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility demonstrated before, during and after competitions by their students, athletes, coaches, spectators and everyone else associated with the school’s activities and programs.

“Good sportsmanship is a key component of athletics,” said David Lee, Gainesville district manager for Jackson EMC. “Treating others with respect and dignity is what distinguishes a great team from a good team. Whether they win or lose, it’s important these students handle the outcome with class. The Chestatee War Eagles and the Johnson Knights don’t let competition get in the way of behaving as responsible, honest and humble young adults.”

Jackson EMC, along with the other EMCs in Georgia, have presented the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award each year since 2006 to emphasize, encourage and reward positive behavior in athletics. Chestatee and Johnson were selected as award winners within Jackson EMC’s service area.

Schools must have shown integrity across a variety of athletics, including many groups, ranging from students, coaches, parents, spectators and officials. The award also extends to anyone involved with the athletic event, making this an honor that is shared by both the school and the community. Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards are presented annually by EMC representatives in 56 regions and seven classifications.

Founded in 1904, the GHSA is a voluntary, non-profit organization comprised of more than 460 public and private high schools that strives to promote good sportsmanship, participant safety, fair play and a cooperative spirit among its member schools. The GHSA administers regulations for region and state competition in 17 sports and two activities. For more information, visit www.ghsa.net.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

The 2017 grants represent the diversity of learning options for the 21st century student, including live theatre production lighting and sound engineering, kinetic sculptures and animatronics, and agriculture technology; and teaching options for today’s educators, including quadratics through catapult building, history through a student-written play, and earth science through wind turbine construction.

The Bright Ideas grant program, now in its fourth year at Jackson EMC, funds innovative classroom projects developed by state-certified public middle school educators in the Jackson EMC service area. An independent panel of judges evaluated the applications based on measurable goals and objectives, innovation, student involvement and implementation plans.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga. The cooperative serves more than 225,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire. For more information, visit jacksonemc.com.

]]>latest,community,News,education,bright ideasThu, 09 Nov 2017 17:09:54 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_20171025brightideascom4871.jpeg?10000Hands On Learning With Jackson EMChttp://news.jacksonemc.com/hands-on-learning-with-jackson-emc/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/hands-on-learning-with-jackson-emc/Educators looking to bring learning to life can request Jackson EMC employees to visit their schools and classrooms for demonstrations or speaking opportunities.

Jackson EMC employees can present an electrical safety demonstration, showcase the electrical safety trailer or Powertown™, or participate in a career fair or job fair. The content can be customized for elementary, middle and high schools, and supports Georgia curriculum standards.

]]>latest,community,educationMon, 06 Nov 2017 13:55:00 -0500https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1937/500_school-visit-a.jpg?85864Jackson EMC Linemen Rank Among World’s Best at International Rodeohttp://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-linemen-rank-among-worlds-best-at-international-rodeo/
http://news.jacksonemc.com/jackson-emc-linemen-rank-among-worlds-best-at-international-rodeo/(JEFFERSON, GA. Oct. 15, 2017) Jackson EMC lineman Kaleb Chapman won three first place events at the 2017 International Lineman’s Rodeo, held Oct. 11-14 in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The event attracts the best linemen in the world to compete in events based on traditional linemen tasks and skills. A group of Jackson EMC linemen also earned third place honors in the overall journeymen linemen team category.

This year’s event was the largest lineman’s rodeo in history with 1,037 competitors participating. In total, 238 teams of journeymen linemen and 313 apprentices competed in a series of four events on Saturday, Oct. 14, looking for a possible 100 points per event and the fastest time.

The events for the international competition included: hurtman rescue, pole climb, cross arm change out, shunt splice, slack block making, insulator change as well as a written test for apprentices.

Chapman, an apprentice lineman from Gainesville, earned top honors at the 34th Annual International Lineman’s Rodeo with a first place finish in the hurtman rescue with a time of 43 seconds. He also finished first in the pole climb, 21 seconds; and insulator change event with a time of 5 minutes, 38 seconds. He received no point deductions. Chapman placed eighth overall in the apprentice division. Also competing for Jackson EMC in the Apprentice Division were: Josh Hallock, Lawrenceville; Kasey Odom, Jefferson; and Austin Yearwood, Lawrenceville.

In the Rural Electric Cooperative Division, Jeff Sutton, Jeremy Adams and Wayne Connell, all of Oakwood, finished in third place as a journeyman team with a combined time of 24 minutes, 34 seconds. Shannon Love, Clay Phillips and Justin Cash, all of Jefferson, finished in sixth place overall as a journeyman team with a combined time of 33 minutes, 14 seconds. Both teams earned the full 400 points.

Brett Hurst, of Oakwood, was part of a team that placed fifth in the overall senior division. Hurst participated on a team from Snapping Shoals EMC that included his brother, Victor Hurst.

The first lineman’s rodeo was held in September 1984, with 12 participating teams from Kansas and Missouri.

Competition events exhibit skill and safety:

Hurtman Rescue: Simulates the rescue of an injured worker stranded at the top of a utility pole.

Pole Climb: Linemen climb a pole with a raw egg in a bag and then descend with the egg in their mouth. Any crack in the shell is a deduction in points.

Cross Arm Change (team): Team removes an existing cross arm and hoists a new cross arm as a replacement.

Shunt Splice (team): Team makes a repair to a phase conductor around a simulated damaged area in the wire.

Slack Block Making (apprentice): Ropes and pulleys tied intricately together to use when repairing lines.

Insulator Change (apprentice): Linemen throw a gathered rope 30 feet in the air and thread it through lines of wire 18 inches apart, then climb a utility pole to change out two pin-top insulators.